


No work for you Today

by Pikuna



Category: Trollhunters (Cartoon)
Genre: F/M, Romantic Fluff, Sharing a Bed, Sleepy Cuddles, Way after Stricklander came back and they became a couple again, just some random fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-11
Updated: 2017-02-11
Packaged: 2018-09-23 14:17:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9660857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pikuna/pseuds/Pikuna
Summary: On her free weekend Barbara receives a call from the hospital asking for her help. But Stricklander doesn't allow her to even leave the bed.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah, I'm trying myself on my new OTP and to escape my writers block. xD  
> I'm proud of myself that I managed to write something short (those who read my other stories know how I can stretch things).  
> Hopefully I got the characters correct so far, I just need to write down this idea since I'm such a sucker for bed cuddles. <3

The ringtone of her phone was what started to stir Barbara out of her deep slumber. She hadn't slept so good since weeks and she loathed to get fully awake to search for her phone. But while she was still debating with herself, she noticed how someone besides her moved.

For a second she was confused, but then remembered that since a few days she hadn't been the only occupant of her bed anymore. Stricklander - or Walt how she preferred to call him - made a few annoyed growls, before he carefully leant over her to grab the ringing phone from her bedside table and then settled back into a sitting position on his side. After he cleared his throat, he answered the call with as much smoothness as his troll voice would allow him.

"Good morning, you have reached the Lake residence. How may I help you?"

Barbara was now more than content with falling asleep again, after the annoying ringtone had finally been taking care of. Hearing Stricklander's voice was only helping that notion. 

"I'm very sorry to say this, but Mrs Lake isn't available right now. You surely are informed that this is her free weekend, right?"

Even in her dozy state Barbara could guess that it was the hospital calling. And to be honest, who would call her otherwise? Jim wouldn't dare to disturb her in the morning and Stricklander was right here with her.

"Oh, I do know very well that she is an important member of the staff and that her patients would call for her. But I also know, and you of course too, that she has worked very long shifts the last weeks and she deserves the rest. Surely you can handle the situation by your own Miss Jones. Barbara always speaks highly of you and your remarkable skills in dealing with the patients."

Sarah Jones was Barbara's medical assistant and when she was the one calling, then there really must be a problem. With a sigh she tried to get up, but Stricklander put a hand on her shoulder and gently pushed her back into the bed. Barbara muffled slightly displeased into the pillow.

"Please, have a bit more confidence in yourself Sarah. May I call you Sarah? Thank you. Barbara wouldn't have made you her assistant, if she didn't think you would be capable of doing fine on your own."

Barbara tried again to get up, but this time Stricklander wrapped his free arm around her and pressed her back against his side. Not an unpleasant position, but she didn't want to cuddle right now. Sarah obviously needed her help.

"That's the spirit, my dear. I really appreciate your commitment. You have my and Barbara's gratitude. I wish you a pleasant workday and a nice rest of the weekend. Goodbye Sarah."

With those words Stricklander ended the call and put the phone on his table. Barbara huffed amused against his side.

"Did you just smooth-talked to my assistant?" 

"Only to pacify her," Stricklander reassured and suddenly sounded much more sleepy than a second before. Well, you have to give him credit for his acting skills. He settled himself back into a horizontal position, his arm still loosely wrapped around her and snuggled against her back. Barbara hummed when she felt his nose nuzzling her neck.

"What did she want?" Barbara manged to ask before the topic would slip her mind. 

His answer wasn't much more than a murmur against her shoulder. "Just a few patience complaining and wanting to talk to you. Nothing serious."

Of course she knew that he was right. Had it been something where her help really was needed he wouldn't have get rid of Sarah. Still, the feeling of neglecting her responsibility was nagging at the back of her mind and so there was no chance of going to sleep again anytime soon.

"I still should go to the hospital and check on them. Only to be sure," she said with a deep sight and was about to get up, when Stricklander's hand grabbed her arm.

"Barbara, you know what happens once you got there. You won't be able to say no when they ask for help and stay there for the rest of the weekend."

"Don't be silly Walt, I can say no to them. I just want to take a quick-," she already had been sitting on the edge of the bed, when Stricklander carefully pulled her beck into the bed.

"Like the last time? You just wanted to look for one patient in the last minute and it ended with you taking a night shift, almost collapsing when you came home." 

Barbara was already trying to get up again, but now he grasped her torso with both hands and pressed her against his chest. 

"That-that was just _one_ time," she tried to defend herself, but Stricklander only snorted unamused. 

"Sadly it's more of a prevalent thing." He adjusted his hold on her, so it wasn't uncomfortable, but he also made one of his wings appear and used it to press her closer to him. "As much as I admire your devotion to help others, you are not a machine Dearest. You need to take a break from time to time." His tone had gone from scolding to worrying, which made her stop squirming and slumped down in his arms. Pleased with this he smiled at her. "Besides, Jim would be very disappointed if we had to cancel the picnic again. We all got very occupied lately, so some shared quality time is long overdue."

"You are right," Barbara said with a defeating sigh and rolled on her back so she could look him into the face. "I'm just...worried that something will go wrong when I'm not there to look after my patients."

Stricklander had to chuckle at that. "You are indeed the mother of young Atlas." He gave her forehead a kiss before he continued. "And I can only give you the same advice as him: Share your burdens or put down a few, otherwise you will break under them one day."

Barbara couldn't help herself but smile at his words. She really had heard him saying those to Jim a lot of times, before and after all this stuff with the trollhunting. It was oddly comforting to know how similar she and her son where in that regard, but also very thankful that they had such a supportive person in the family like Stricklander. 

Since she had given up on the idea to go to the hospital, she made it herself comfortable in his arms. He loosened his grip again and hummed pleased. 

Suddenly a thought crossed her mind and Barbara had to snort. "And what if a troll or another magical creature attacks us during the picnic? You two are magnets for such things and I doubt they will wait until we finished eating," she said with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, we certainly can give you a shovel and add the fight to the family activity," he said with a slight laugh, but Barbara didn't thought it was funny at all. Even when she chuckled a bit.

"Not funny Walt," she tried to sound angry, but there was still amusement in her voice when she slapped Stricklander's shoulder. The changeling only started to laugh outright now and she joined in, up until the moment she decided to poke a spot between his ribs that was ticklish. He yelped in surprise and sat upright, wing disappearing and completely letting go of Barbara.

At first he was afraid she would take the chance and escape the bed, but instead it was now her turn to wrap her arms around him and laying her head on his chest, humming contently. For a few seconds he blinked down at her in astonishment, not moving a muscle. But then his face turned into a warm smile and he laid one arm around her shoulders, coaxing her to snuggle even closer to him. Stricklander made it himself comfortable by leaning against the bedhead and gently combed trough her hair. In the span of seconds he heard her slight snoring, which signaled him that she was asleep again. A few more seconds he watched her sleeping so peacefully in his arms, a sight he never had dared to dream of. Then he closed is eyes and let her sweet snore and even breathing lull him back to sleep.


End file.
